2017 All Things Lions Marketing & Promotions

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CardiacKid
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Huge Talent wrote:
Sat Nov 04, 2017 11:34 pm
This might sound crazy, but the lions should make next year's home opener free. More specifically, they should open the upper bowl and pack the place. Market the hell out of it. I bet people would go. Create some excitement, get some more people going to games. The notion that it would devalue tickets is nonsense.. I can't give mid field seats away, so they're already worthless at this point. They need some extreme marketing tactics, this is just that.
I agree they need to dial the marketing to 11 and maybe even go bat-sh1t crazy but IMO making any game free will result in fence sitters thinking the product is not worth any amount of money.
Huge Talent
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Hambone wrote:
Sun Nov 05, 2017 10:35 am
Huge Talent wrote:
Sat Nov 04, 2017 11:34 pm
This might sound crazy, but the lions should make next year's home opener free. More specifically, they should open the upper bowl and pack the place. Market the hell out of it. I bet people would go. Create some excitement, get some more people going to games. The notion that it would devalue tickets is nonsense.. I can't give mid field seats away, so they're already worthless at this point. They need some extreme marketing tactics, this is just that.
I had a similar thought a few years ago but to do so with the exhibition game. My thought was to try to fill the house by providing the tickets to schools and amateur sports organizations to in turn sell them as fund raisers. Give each group 20 for their own use and another 50 they can sell as fundraisers for say $10 each.

The risk for any radical ideas prior to the sale of the club is that old ownership is setting a precedent for whomever the ownership might be. New ownership may have a totally different idea of how to approach these things but could have the rug pulled out from under them if radical changes by past ownership don't fit with their thought process and business model. For instance if as per an earlier suggestion Coaches Sideline seats were slashed by over a third to $50 new ownership would be vilified if they disagreed and wanted to increase them.
I concede that a pending sale complicates matters, but that is beyond my business acumen to be honest. What is clear, however, is that the team is at a low point valuation wise. Prospective owners aren't going to pay for potential, only for a current bottom line.

I like your idea of schools, Hambone. You get kiddies marketing the team for you with this. Get the media, even non sports media, running a story - and something like free lions game would certainly be a story.

Season ticket holders would still be charged, as they have the better seats and the lions need the revenue, but we could be given some kind of additional perk to appease even the grouchiest.. Maybe a game voucher or something... Heck it's not like that would even cost the team anything. Factor in the tax write offs and the bump in concession sales, could be a win win.

The biggest thing, imo, is getting this city taking lions.. Even if it's people laughing about how they're too cool to go for free, they're still talking lions. I know so many cheap hipster 20 somethings who might just go for something like a free game night.
seamack3
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Maybe the team should spend some time evaluating the pre-game, game & post-game atmosphere to find out why the fans that do come out stop returning. First of all, get rid of all the stupid, loud, in-your-face blatant advertising on the big screen and elsewhere. I can stay at home and watch on TV if I have to be bombarded with advertising. Even when it's done with a reward that some fans relish, they can't get it right... as they're tossing mini-footballs or shooting shirts from the back of some automobile manufacturer's truck, the vehicle only does one side of the field leaving the other side fans ignored. The concessions are overpriced... eg. mini-donuts were $3.50 dz or $5 for two dozen a decade ago, now they're $6 per dozen. You can't buy a beautifully illustrated CFL book 'Our League, Our Country' at the shop kiosks but you can buy lots of other junk. You can buy lots of the new and current ugly BC Lions jerseys but you can't get the gun-metal grey alternate jerseys. The Felions are no longer grouped in 4's so they are always present in each side-corner of the field in every quarter. You can't venture onto the field after the game and mingle with the cheerleaders and players like you can in other CFL stadiums. Somebody sure isn't doing their job and listening to what the fans want/don't want and until this happens the fanbase will continue to deteriorate.
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David wrote:
Sat Nov 04, 2017 12:14 pm
I don't know the logistics, but it would have been a cool idea to piggy-back the St. Pierre-Bisping UFC fight onto the finish of the Lions-Argos game at BC Place and shown the PPV fight on the big screen. If nothing else, just to try something different that you can't really do at other Canadian stadia in November.

Yes, you'd have to pay staff to work a little OT, then there are the fees of showing it, and you'd likely miss some or all of the prelim fights, but it would be an excellent venue to watch the fight and another way to attract fans to a meaningless game.


DH :cool:
I don't know the logistics either David. In the past when pubs wanted to show PPV events they had to pay a per seat fee X seating capacity whether there was a fanny in the seat or not. That may no longer be the case. Given it was from MSG in NY I suspect GSP's bout would've occurred while the game was underway. I was at a Castlegar pub well before the BC game started. They don't have any TVs but the bartender was watching one of the preliminary fights on his iPhone when I sat down at 5:30 so the UFC event was well under way at least 2 hours before kickoff.

I do know one thing. Had I gone to the game I'd have stuck it out right to the final gun but had they put any part of a UFC match on the big screen during the game I would've been out of there in a shot preparing a nastly email to the Lions. After the game was over they could do whatever floats their boat because I'd be gone.
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Huge Talent
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CFL football is family entertainment. MMA is definitely not. If that came on, my wife would never return and probably would reconsider allowing me season tickets to share with our young son.

Good brain storming though. We should be getting paid for all these ideas!
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I think you're asking the Lions to cut off their nose to spite their face there Seamack. I'll grant you the mini-football and t-shirt tosses seem to always go to the Lions bench side. However I think that might be due to a much higher percentage of ST holders and others sitting on that side. As I sit on that side I can't get an accurate perspective but it always feels a lot more crowded on that side compared to what I can see visually when looking across the field behind the visiting bench. I think it's only natural that home team fans would prefer to sit on the home team's side of the field.

As for advertising during the game I don't find it to be loud or in my face. To be honest I barely notice it. Regardless those in game ads and promotions are important revenue streams for the club. The Lions 3 main game day revenue streams are ticket sales, revenues from sales in the BC Lions merchandise stands and in game advertising. As annoying as you might find them if the Lions were to lose those advertising revenues the only way to make them up is to jack up the price of tickets or merchandise. Be careful for what you wish for.

When it comes to concession prices don't complain to the Lions. Talk to Pavco. They operate the concessions, set the prices and receive all the revenues. Lions get squat. Pretty sure the price of flour, labour and whatever else it takes to make mini-donuts hasn't gone down or even flatlined in the last 20 years.
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B.C.FAN
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Huge Talent wrote:
Sun Nov 05, 2017 2:56 pm
CFL football is family entertainment. MMA is definitely not. If that came on, my wife would never return and probably would reconsider allowing me season tickets to share with our young son.

Good brain storming though. We should be getting paid for all these ideas!
Haha. Yes, there is that consideration. I can’t stand MMA either but my 35-year-old daughter, who has shared season tickets with me for years, was one of many people I know who skipped the game to watch the fight. They probably don’t regret that choice.
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David
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Huge Talent wrote:
Sun Nov 05, 2017 2:56 pm
CFL football is family entertainment. MMA is definitely not. If that came on, my wife would never return and probably would reconsider allowing me season tickets to share with our young son.

Good brain storming though. We should be getting paid for all these ideas!
I don't disagree with the incongruency with the Lions' family entertainment message. However, I was talking about AFTER the football game. Much like the boy scout jamboree they used to host for the small fry (I believe they would show a movie on the big screen, but what went on there was anyone's guess as the rest of us had long departed).

Your wife wouldn't even have to know it was on as you guys would be headed for the exits. It was a way to attract more sports fans to the game, that's all.


DH :cool:
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CardiacKid
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Hambone wrote:
Sun Nov 05, 2017 3:24 pm
I think you're asking the Lions to cut off their nose to spite their face there Seamack. I'll grant you the mini-football and t-shirt tosses seem to always go to the Lions bench side. However I think that might be due to a much higher percentage of ST holders and others sitting on that side. As I sit on that side I can't get an accurate perspective but it always feels a lot more crowded on that side compared to what I can see visually when looking across the field behind the visiting bench. I think it's only natural that home team fans would prefer to sit on the home team's side of the field.

As for advertising during the game I don't find it to be loud or in my face. To be honest I barely notice it. Regardless those in game ads and promotions are important revenue streams for the club. The Lions 3 main game day revenue streams are ticket sales, revenues from sales in the BC Lions merchandise stands and in game advertising. As annoying as you might find them if the Lions were to lose those advertising revenues the only way to make them up is to jack up the price of tickets or merchandise. Be careful for what you wish for.

When it comes to concession prices don't complain to the Lions. Talk to Pavco. They operate the concessions, set the prices and receive all the revenues. Lions get squat. Pretty sure the price of flour, labour and whatever else it takes to make mini-donuts hasn't gone down or even flatlined in the last 20 years.
What I find the most annoying re. the concessions is how the price board above the counter will say “churros” but when you purchase your “churros” you only get one. I can’t speak or read Spanish but should it not read “churro”?

Sorry but I really like churros... I can’t have just one.
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Hambone wrote:
Sun Nov 05, 2017 3:24 pm
I think you're asking the Lions to cut off their nose to spite their face there Seamack. I'll grant you the mini-football and t-shirt tosses seem to always go to the Lions bench side.
Prior to the 2011 renovation of B.C. Place, the Lions used to alternate which side of the field would get the mini-football toss. Since the renovation, there's no longer room on the visitor's sideline for the pickup truck to pass behind the bench. The TV cart takes precedence on that side. The visitor's side gets a lot more action from the T-shirt cannon, though.
louharris74
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As many have said in this thread, in the past 5 or 6 years the Lions have totally missed out on the youngsters who are now in their 20's. They are the customers and fans of the future. When I was in my 20's (the 80's) in university the Lions were a big deal to all of us.

My 21 year old son is only a casual fan, but at least he is somewhat of a fan, which is more than any of his buddies. For my 18 year old daughter and her friends, both gals and guys, the Lions are not even on the radar. And she has been to 3 or 4 games over the years in her young lifetime. In my 20's lost of girls followed the team.

Ticket prices, way too high given where demand is now. Even for the baby boomer crowd that still closely follows the team. I went to one game this year, $75 for a good seat is too much. Several of my buddies did not go to a game this year, too frustrated with watching the same old problems year after year. How our o-line could be so bad for so long is mind boggling.

Needless to say a good team playing an exciting brand of football is a must. But, we had that in 2016 and still only 20k showed up for the Western Semi-Final. Players the fans can identify is also very important. But more affordable ticket pricing is the biggest issue, get butts into the building, create a good atmosphere. Make people give a damn.
louharris74
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Just went to the Lions website, same old pricing/seating zone structure. Good grief. $198 for 3 game pack for the Red Zone, which for me is the first decent seat. After taxes and fees, that's pushing $70 per ticket per game ... should be like $50 to 55 given the state of current demand.

$261 for Coaches Sideline tickets, which is pushing $90 per ticket. Maybe that is justified for tickets between the 35 or 40 yard lines, although $80 would be better ... they need another price point between the 15/20 to 35/40 yard lines at ~$60. $147 for Touchdown Corner is $50 per ticket ... should be no more than $35 to $40, $120 for Touchdown Endzone is $40 per ticket ... should be no more than $25 to $30.

As mentioned by others, say $10 tickets for kids 16 and under accompanied by a full priced adult all season would get more family's into the building. Need more promotions for school age kids, including college/university kids (of which I have 2) to at least get the team on the radar with that generation.

Last random thought ... when all of the upper deck was closed a lot of my middle aged buddies stopped going to games. That was their/our preferred place to sit. Needless to say its going to be a while before any part of the upper deck is re-opened.
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SammyGreene
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louharris74 wrote:
Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:37 pm
Just went to the Lions website, same old pricing/seating zone structure. Good grief. $198 for 3 game pack for the Red Zone, which for me is the first decent seat. After taxes and fees, that's pushing $70 per ticket per game ... should be like $50 to 55 given the state of current demand.

$261 for Coaches Sideline tickets, which is pushing $90 per ticket. Maybe that is justified for tickets between the 35 or 40 yard lines, although $80 would be better ... they need another price point between the 15/20 to 35/40 yard lines at ~$60. $147 for Touchdown Corner is $50 per ticket ... should be no more than $35 to $40, $120 for Touchdown Endzone is $40 per ticket ... should be no more than $25 to $30.

As mentioned by others, say $10 tickets for kids 16 and under accompanied by a full priced adult all season would get more family's into the building. Need more promotions for school age kids, including college/university kids (of which I have 2) to at least get the team on the radar with that generation.

Last random thought ... when all of the upper deck was closed a lot of my middle aged buddies stopped going to games. That was their/our preferred place to sit. Needless to say its going to be a while before any part of the upper deck is re-opened.
Bang on Lou. Yet Braley truly believes the only thing that needs "fixing" is the on field product. What happened last year with a 12-6 team and highly entertaining young QB? There were even fewer season ticket holders in 2017.

Braley has been convinced by Skulsky/Chayka the Lions are better off with higher ticket prices rather than cheapening the value of the product. It has worked to some degree that the club was still turning a profit with crowds in the low 20,000s plus a good TV deal. Not so much now in the mid to high teens and those former season ticket holders are now comfortably watching the games for free at home. Throw in a bad on-field product and it gets even worse. No wonder potential buyers are running.
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Attendance was already poor when the Lions were 12-6 and Jennings looked like the second coming of Doug Flutie. Tinker with the game day presentation all you want, but it is not going to put butts in seats. It all comes down to ticket prices. Skulsky seemed to believe that if charge more for a product people will want it more (the law of conspicuous consumption), but that shows how out of touch he is with the average CFL fan in Vancouver. Maybe the lower mainland posers don't mind shelling out as much as $300 for a ticket to the Canucks just so they can instagram a selfie from the game and pretend their friends are jealous, but Lions fans go to CFL games for the game. Not so they can pretend they are special. Skulsky seems to think his product is worth $90 a ticket. It's not. And I say that as a life long Lions fan.

The best seats in the house should be no more than $75 including taxes and fees. You should be able to get a decent seat for $40 and the "cheap seats" should be $25. There should be no shame in resetting ticket prices. Be honest with fans and tell them that you have reassessed the market and what people can afford to spend on tickets. Tell them that families and working people are the backbone of the CFL and that the Lions do not want to risk pricing their product out of reach of ordinary people.

No matter how well the Lions play, no matter how good the half time show is, the one thing that enhances the fan experience (and give them the best value for money) is a large and lively crowd. Watching a 9-9 team with 40,000 in the stadium is way more fun that watching a 12-6 team play before 17,000.
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When I was a teenager, they used to have a deal with Nalley Chips I think it was and kids could sit in the end zone for a cheap price. I remember seeing Jerry Tagge and the Lions beat the Bombers in the West Semi Final in those seats. I think Nalley Chips are long gone, but they could team up with some company and offer same deal. The Lions marketing is terrible and has been for years. It is not enough to put a good product on the field.
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